The High King's Queen
by Innocence Zeroni
Summary: Annette has also been sent to the professor's estate and joins the Pevensie siblings on their adventures. Was she supposed to have found a way to Narnia? Or was it her destiny just as it was another's destiny to become the High King of Narnia? Peter/OC
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own The Chronicles of Narnia. That belongs to C.S Lewis. However, I do own the character, Annette, and her personality. **_

_THE HIGH KING'S QUEEN:_

_A CHRONICLES OF NARNIA FANFICTION_

_PART ONE_

_CHAPTER ONE_

Annette Fielden arrived at the old professor's mansion three days before the Pevensies did. She looked up at the large sprawling building with discomfort. It definitely looked like a place she could get lost in and she hated getting lost anywhere. Her mother placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and started, "You'll will stay here while…" she trailed off. Nancy Fielden had rode the train with her daughter so she wouldn't feel lonely and had even traveled to Professor Kirke's with her, but she knew she couldn't stay with her youngest daughter. No, she had to stay with Annette's older siblings: the twins, seventeen year old, Rose and Paul. Her father and other older brother, twenty-one year old, Charles, had gone to fight in the war.

However, the fourteen year old, Annette, wasn't allowed to stay with her family, but was sent to the country like every other unfortunate child in London. She had sulked the entire way despite her mother's words of assurance. "You'll have fun, Annette. Dear, don't look that way. The professor told me himself that other children will be there soon." Annette's ears did prick up when she heard about the other children, but she still felt like she was being abandoned by her family. Yes, Annette didn't want to see her home blown to bits and she did want to be in one piece, not several, but she did want to be with her family during this time, when she needed them most. TO her, family was the most important thing in the world, and she couldn't bear it if anything happened to them, and she suddenly panicked.

"What about Dad and Charles? What if they want to write me? How will they know where I am?" Annette demanded of her mother.

"I will send the letters to you, love," Mrs. Fielden told her daughter, now putting both hands on her shoulders. Then, she attempted to smooth down Annette's curly black hair absently. "Now, can't have you looking a fright when you meet the professor, can we, my little queen?"

Annette, in spite of herself, laughed at her mother's and hers, old joke. As the youngest, Annette was the most pampered one and thus her parents called her their little queen, and sometimes Annette truly dreamed that she could be royalty one day, but the only way that could happen is if she married the prince or something, and that would never happen.

Mrs. Fielden held her daughter's hand tight and led her up to the professor's door and rapped on the door with the door knocker. The ornate door opened immediately and a stern looking elderly woman with brown hair streaked with grey and cold brown eyes. She could tell almost immediately that this woman probably did not like children, though her employer might. "So, this is young Annette, is it?" the woman asked, looking down her nose at her. Her mother nodded and pushed Annette forward a little. Remembering her manners, Annette dropped down in a curtsey. The old woman seemed not to notice. "I'm Mrs. Macready, housekeeper of Professor Kirke's estate. You may enter." She turned and started walking down the hallway.

Annette gave her mother a look, which she didn't see(or chose to ignore), and followed Mrs. Macready. Annette sighed and went after her mother. A maid behind them shut the door. Annette looked around at her surroundings. The house's halls seemed to twist and turn behind them as they walked. She would probably have to leave bread crumbs or rocks behind her like Hansel and Gretel had, but then again, leaving anything untidy in this house would most likely bring her face to face with the witch.

She then tuned into her mother and Mrs. Macready's conversation as they walked up some stairs and came to a large bedroom with two beds. "This will be Annette's room along with the two sisters that will be here on Friday. Annette will have her own bed and the sisters will share a bed." Mrs. Fielden nodded her approval and Annette surveyed the room. There were two canopy beds and it seemed the professor was trying a little hard to make the girls feel at home. The blankets on the beds were pink as well as the newly refurbished carpet.

"The boys' room will be adjacent to yours," Mrs. Macready said. She and Annette's mother had moved on and Annette rushed after them, not wanting to get left behind and be lost. "You may go to the library, and there will be another room set up for you children. and you may play outside. Touch nothing but the things that belong you or the books in the library. And, you must keep your room as tidy as possible."

"That's never been a problem for Annette," Mrs. Fielden told her, pleasantly. "Annette's always been very tidy."

"Good," Mrs. Macready said, shortly. "Also, you will not disturb the - Professor?" She had stopped in front of a closed door that had just opened, and a man with wild white hair emerged from it. Annette's eyes widened at the sight of him. His manner of dress and style seemed eccentric, different than what she was used to. "I didn't know you had finished your work, sir." The housekeeper kept her eyes cast down when she addressed him.

"Yes, I've been done for quite a while, Mrs. Macready," he said, nodding to her, and he then turned to Annette and her mother. "Well, hello, you must be Annette and you her mother." He took her mother's hand and kissed it, and then did the same to Annette. "I'm sure you will like your stay here. Did you know your father was one of my students?" Annette shook her head. he again turned to her mother. "How is Jack and your eldest son?"

"They're faring well," Mrs. Fielden said, sadly. "But tell us more about these other children. Who are they?"

"The Pevensie children," the professor replied. "Their names are Edmund, Peter, Lucy, and Susan."

"And their ages?" Annette couldn't help but ask.

"Eight, eleven, thirteen, and fifteen," he told her, "However, I am not wholly sure which child is which age. I'm sure you'll find out soon enough." Annette was pleased. She should be able to fit in well with the fifteen and thirteen year olds and since she had no younger siblings herself, that would most likely be the role the eleven and eight year olds would fill. Annette actually couldn't wait to meet them.

The professor led the way back down the stairs and Annette was quiet as they walked. She knew the inevitable was coming very quickly. Now, she would have to say goodbye to her mother.

They reached the foyer and Professor Kirke took Mrs. Macready's arm, saying to the Fieldens, "I think it would be best if we leave you two alone. Mrs. Macready, accompany me to the kitchen, will you?" The woman simply nodded and followed the professor to the kitchen.

"Now," Annette's mother said, trying to flatten Annette's black hair once more, "Annette, I'm sure you'll behave and not cause the professor, or Mrs. Macready for that matter, to have heart attacks."

"I won't," Annette said at once. Though she did have a mischievous streak in her, she knew well enough not to cause a ruckus in someone else's home. Her mother seized her in a tight hug and a tear slipped out of her eye and onto her cheek. "Don't cry, Mum, I'll be fine," said Annette, tears running down her own face. Mrs. Fielden kissed her youngest daughter on the cheek and opened the door of the professor's estate. With one backwards glance, she left, closing the door behind her, leaving Annette all alone.

With nothing to do until dinner was called, Annette decided to head back up to her room where she had put her things to read one of her own books or maybe head to the library to read one of the professor's books. How can anyone find their way in this house? There are so many rooms! Annette thought to herself. She headed up the stairs and down the hall that she hoped her room was in. Looking for the pink room, she peeked in every single room that her eyes saw, and everyone was different: There was a room full of statues, a room full of paintings, and, now this one was very strange. This room was completely barren, save for a wooden wardrobe in the center of the room. However, that wasn't the strange things about it. The strange thing was that this wardrobe seemed to be calling to her, and she entered the room, as if in a trance.

Annette continued forward, and held her hand out when she reached the door to open the door, starting to open it when…

"Miss Annette?"

Annette snapped out of her reverie and turned to see a girl no older than sixteen with dark red hair and brown eyes, carrying a feather duster. "Yes…what is your name?"

"My name is Ivy, miss, and you must get out of this room. You'll be in trouble. Mrs. Macready said no one is to come in here, except when it needs to be dusted," Ivy mumbled, keeping her eyes down. Annette couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl who was most likely brought up like a third class citizen, but her curiosity piqued when the girl told her being in this particular room wasn't allowed.

"Why aren't we allowed to be in here?" Annette asked, curiously.

"The professor is said to be keeping something secret in that wardrobe," Ivy said, mischievously. Annette smiled. She definitely liked this girl. She was imaginative and reminded her of her sister. Well, almost.

"Like what?" Annette asked in interest as the two girls started leaving the room.

"Like a body or two…" Ivy told her outside of the room.

"You're joking," Annette laughed.

There was a moment's pause.

"You are joking, right?"

Annette had eaten dinner with the professor and Mrs. Macready without much trouble, except that there were too many forks and spoons on the table. She had no clue which one to use for which meal. After dinner, she went back up to her room, and lighted a candle which was on the nightstand. However, after a couple minutes of reading, she fell asleep, the book laying across her chest.

* * *

"Children, I have something I must tell you," Mrs. Pevensie told her four children as they sat down at the dinner table. Peter, Susan, and Lucy immediately looked up, rapt with attention, while Edmund continued shoveling peas into his mouth. Helen Pevensie looked distraught and she could not find the words she was trying to say.

"What is it, Mum?" Peter asked, concerned, while kicking Edmund's leg under the table to make him pay attention.

"Ow!" he yelled before glaring at his older brother.

"Because of the recent London bombings, they have ordered us to send all of the children in London away to the country," their mother told them, sadly, and she waited for their reactions, which came as quick as she thought.

"You're sending us away?"

"Dad wouldn't make us leave!"

"I don't want to go!"

Peter was the only one who did not respond. He looked quietly at Lucy's tearful face, Susan's look of disbelief, and Ed's angry glare. His mother looked to him for help, so he gave it. "It makes sense," he acknowledged, even though he didn't want to go anywhere any more than his siblings wanted to. "Where are we going?" he asked, ignoring his siblings' questioning glances.

"To Professor Kirke's estate," Mrs. Pevensie answered him. "It's far enough away that there are sure to be no bombings or attacks or any incidents such as last week's." At this, she looked pointedly at Edmund, whose face grew red.

"Will there at least be any other kids there?" Susan asked, trying to digest what her mother had informed them.

"Yes," Helen Pevensie smiled at her oldest daughter, "A girl about your age. Her name's Annette."

"A girl?" Edmund complained. "Don't we have enough of them here?" Lucy giggled and stuck her tongue out at him despite her tears and he made a face at her.

"Edmund, Lucy, please," Mrs. Pevensie chided them.

"When are we leaving?" Peter asked the question none of them wanted to ask, and Mrs. Pevensie hesitated before she spoke. "Mum?"

"You'll be leaving Friday," she said, steadily.

"Friday?! Mum, that's only three days away!" Susan exclaimed, shocked.

"I know, Susan, I know, but the sooner you leave the better," her mother replied, giving her a sad smile. "Now, get ready for bed all of you, and I'll be upstairs shortly." They nodded and the four children headed upstairs. "Wait, Peter, I would like to speak with you." Peter stayed behind while Susan herded Lucy and Edmund upstairs.

Mrs. Pevensie led her eldest child into the sitting room and he set the logs in the fireplace alight. Mrs. Pevensie sat in the rocking chair that her husband had built for her while she was pregnant with Peter. "Peter, you have been a big help around here since your father left." He smiled broadly, pleased at his mother's compliment. "While you are gone, I have no doubt that you will look after the others. I have a feeling something may happen while…" Mrs. Pevensie broke off, and dissolved into tears. Peter strode over to his mother and hugged her tightly.

"I won't let anything happen to the others, Mum," Peter tried to stop the tears from falling from his own eyes. "I swear."


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

The three days passed in what seemed like a million years to Annette. There wasn't much to do without the company of other children. Mrs. Macready kept trying to urge her to play outside, but Annette completely refused to play in the barren fields all by herself. It was almost as if Mrs. Macready believed she was four instead of fourteen and had imaginary friends. If it hadn't have been for Ivy, who was becoming a fast friend, she would probably have died from boredom.

On the day before the Pevensies were due to come, Annette awoke, but to her chagrin, Ivy wasn't in her room to greet her as she usually did when Annette woke up. "Ivy?" she called. There was no answer. Annette just shrugged and got dressed for the day.

When she arrived down in the dining room for breakfast, she spotted Ivy dusting one of the statues near the kitchen. "Hello, Ivy. I've had a wonderful dream about…" Before Annette could finish her narrative, Ivy began walking away. "Ivy, I'm trying to tell you about a dream I just had. What's the matter?"

The red head turned to Annette with obvious hurt in her eyes. "I can't talk to you. Mrs. Macready forbid me. She said if I did she would fire me. I'm sorry, Annette," Ivy explained, and then walked away quickly. Annette just stood there in first shock, and then anger. She would simply have to talk to Mrs. Macready about this.

"Mrs. Macready?" Annette asked her at breakfast. The elderly woman looked up from her meal to look at Annette.

"What is it, Miss Fielden?" the woman asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Why did you tell Ivy to stop talking to me? She was my friend," Annette said, looking down at her plate, and pushing her eggs around.

"Well, Annette, of course I couldn't have you talking to a servant. What would your mother think? Also, your talking to her was disrupting the state of the house and she might leave off her chores, and then she would get lazy. Now, tomorrow, there will be girls suitable for you to spend your time with, so I suggest you leave the servant girl alone or else," Mrs. Macready scolded her before taking her leave. Annette glared after the woman, clearly annoyed, but also a little sad as well. Who was she to tell her who to make friends with?

The next day, Mrs. Macready stood over Annette before she went to get the Pevensies and watched her straighten up her room which that night she would sharing with the two sisters. "Now, everything should be in order when I come back. Put on your best clothes and be downstairs when I arrive. Also, it is best that you greet the others with a curtsey. Make sure you do so." Annette nodded, and Mrs. Macready stalked out of the room. Rushing to the window, Annette watched as Mrs. Macready led out the old horse and cart and went on her way.

_I wonder what they'll be like, _Annette said to herself, deciding to put on her best dress for the day. _I hope they like me. But what if they don't? What if they end up hating me?_ Annette instantly put the thoughts from her mind. She _was _going to be friends with them, and she would not have her friendships taken away from her, like what happened with Ivy, who didn't even look her way anymore. To keep Ivy and Annette from associating, Mrs. Macready kept Ivy downstairs to work in the kitchen and the downstairs' antiques.

From what she guessed, the professor didn't know of the ruthlessness of his housekeeper. Annette only saw the professor during meals and even some meals he skipped, only asking for a simple sandwich to be brought up. However, the professor still seemed to be the sole person she listened to and obeyed.

Annette made her way downstairs and looked at the different paintings on the wall and the statues, very bored, until she heard the great door open and Mrs. Macready's voice scolding someone that for once, wasn't her. As she turned the corner, Annette noticed four others looking around in awe and discomfort as she did on her first day at the estate. Mrs. Macready saw her and gave her a curt nod of approval for Annette's dress. "Children, this is our other boarder, Annette Fielden. She's fourteen." Annette gave a small curtsey and looked with interest at the siblings. "Annette, this is Lucy, who's eight; Susan, thirteen; Peter, fifteen; and Edmund, eleven."

The youngest, Lucy, the eight year old obviously, was a girl with short brown hair and big brown eyes. Annette immediately felt close to the little girl, who looked a little frightened. She gave the small girl a smile and the girl immediately returned it. She could definitely be an older sister figure to this girl.

Next to Lucy was Susan, with curly black hair and hazel eyes. Susan was looking at Annette, curiously, and Annette couldn't help but wonder if she was sizing her up or if she was truly just curious. Annette couldn't tell right off the bat if she and Susan would get along, but she hoped beyond hope that they would since Susan was the only other girl around her age.

The oldest, Peter, had brown hair and blue eyes, and Annette had to admit he was quite handsome. When he looked at her, she blushed, which made her blush also. The two sisters, Susan and Lucy, saw this silent exchange and giggled, looking between their brother and Annette.

The last sibling, Edmund, also had black hair and dark brown eyes. There was something about this younger boy that Annette really didn't like. He was standing further back from his brother and sisters, and seemed to have a permanent glare on his face. _Doesn't he seem like a vicious little thing?_ Annette asked herself. The boy saw her looking at him and glared at her. Since they had just met, Annette's heart told her to give him a chance, but her brain said something different, because she glared right back.

After the girls were properly introduced, Annette led Lucy and Susan to their room, and watched them unpack. They seemed not to have much, so it didn't take them very long. "Where are you from?" Susan asked Annette, as she helped Lucy get settled.

"I'm from Lewisham," Annette answered her, sitting on the edge of her bed. "And you?"

"We're from Finchley!" Lucy shouted, excited that she remembered where she was from. The two older girls smiled at the younger.

"I'm glad you two are here," Annette said, with a bright smile on her face. "It's been dreadfully boring being here all by myself."

"I'll bet," Susan responded, looking out of the window.

"What have you been doing by yourself?" Lucy asked Annette, trying to hop onto the bed, but it was too high for her. Susan had to give her sister a lift up.

"Oh, I've just been reading," Annette said. "That's all I really could do by myself."

"Really?" Susan asked her in an admiring tone. "I feel awful you've had to deal with that woman for longer than we have."

"Yeah, she seems like a witch like in the old stories," Lucy said, quietly, immediately looking scared.

Susan shook her head at her sister. "Don't be silly, Lu. What have I told you before? There are no-"

"No such thing as witches," Lucy and Susan finished together.

Annette raised an eyebrow. She could be friends with Susan, however, the girl definitely lacked an imagination.

Mrs. Macready then called them down to dinner, and Annette was quiet as she laid down the rules with the Pevensies. She could almost mouth the words with her after hearing them for three days. Also, with more children at the table, Mrs. Macready forbid any talking that was not "Pass the cauliflower, please". The woman was clearly the type that seemed to think children should be seen and not heard. After dinner was over, they headed to their different rooms and got dressed for bed. As Annette laid in her bed, she was much surprised when the boys came strolling in the room to visit their sisters.

"How long do you think we'll have to stay here?" Lucy asked in a small voice.

"Until we can go back home, I guess," Peter answered her.

"But we might not even have a home to go back to," Edmund muttered, but his siblings did hear him. Lucy looked as if she would cry from his remark.

"Yes, that's nice, saying things like that around your little sister," Annette said from her bed., and propping herself on her elbow. Edmund turned to glare at her for the second time that day.

"Who asked you? Mind your own business," he sneered at her. "Last I checked you weren't invited into the conversation."

"Edmund, that is no way to talk to a girl," Susan scolded him, "especially a girl that's not your sister." Edmund just shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Anyway, tell us about your family, Annette."

"Well, I'm the youngest, just like you, Lucy," Annette said, shooting a smile at Lucy, who grinned back. "There's four of us also. Charles is the oldest. He's twenty one and he's fighting in the war with my father. Next are the twins, Rose and Paul, and they're seventeen. They stayed back home with my mum." The Pevensie siblings exchanged looks.

"How come your oldest brother, Charles, went to fight, but your other brother stayed home?" Susan asked, rather nosily. "He's at the age where he's able to fight."

"Is he a coward?" Peter asked, uncharacteristically cold. Susan hit him hard on the arm and even Edmund looked shocked at his brother's sudden anger.

Annette's eyes immediately filled with tears, though she didn't want them to spill. "For your information, my brother, Paul, couldn't fight in the war, as he's blind. Now, goodnight." With that, Annette pulled the covers over her head. Susan, and Lucy following her older sister's lead, glared at their older brother for insulting their new friend and Edmund was surprised at Peter. _Usually I'm called the unpleasant one, _Edmund thought to himself, almost in a riveted manner, and the boys left the room.

Peter laid awake that night, surprised at what he had said to the other girl. He couldn't really help it. If he was old enough and maybe if Edmund was a little more mature, he knew he would be fighting in the war, and he couldn't imagine anyone who didn't want to protect their family and their country. When Annette said that her brother wasn't fighting in the war, he had assumed automatically that her brother, Paul, must be a coward. There was no way he could know he was blind. _I'm only human,_ Peter thought to himself, but he felt like he also let his mother down a little.

"_Peter, promise you'll watch over the others," his mother made him promise once again while they were on the train platform. _

"_I promise, Mum," he told her, hugging his mother so tightly that he didn't know if he ever wanted to let go of his mother. She let go of him and put a hand on his shoulder._

"_And be sure to care of that other young girl, Annette. Treat her as you would treat your brother and sisters. Protect her as well, Peter," his mother said. Peter nodded at this and then grabbed Lucy's hand to pull her onto the train._

Peter sighed, defeated. He knew what he would have to do tomorrow, even though he was probably bad at it. He would have to apologize…


	3. Chapter 3

**I would like to thank the following for reviewing: dani-elly09, d112hpfan, randomrayyxx3, and Superdani. And Superdani, don't worry, Peter will fix it. I promise. It might not last very long though...**

CHAPTER THREE

The Pevensie children had planned to explore the outside of the professor's mansion the next day, but their outside exploration was halted. The following day was dark and rainy and Annette and the Pevensies found themselves in the library. Annette sat by herself in a sofa reading a book and Lucy pulled up a chair close to her to read a book of her own. Meanwhile Susan, Edmund, and Peter were playing a game with the dictionary in which Susan would read a word and the boys had to figure out what it meant. Though Susan looked like she was having fun, the boys looked as if they would fall asleep in just a second.

"Gastrovascular," Susan read and Peter and Edmund exchanged looks of extreme annoyance.

"Is it Latin?" Peter asked, indulging his younger sister, and all the while, looking at Annette, and wondering about how he should go about apologizing. Susan nodded as a reply that it was indeed Latin and nodded him along to figure out what the word meant.

"Is it Latin for worst game invented?" Edmund laughed. Edmund and Peter shared a rare look of pleasure at annoying their sister. Susan scowled at them and slammed the dictionary shut. "Well, if any of you have a better idea of how to spend our time," Susan glowered, "then, by all means, share it." With that, she crossed her arms, annoyed.

Lucy jumped up from her chair, excitedly, and tugged on the sleeve of Peter's shirt. "Can we play hide and seek?" Peter rolled his eyes at his baby sister. "Come on, Peter, please." Lucy gave her older brother the puppy dog eyes and he sighed, but then smiled, as he started counting, "One…two…three…" Lucy smiled widely and ran from the room. Edmund gave Peter a look of disbelief that clearly said, _I don't want to play this baby game,_ but he ran from the room too, followed by Susan. The only two remaining in the room was Peter and Annette.

Peter stopped counting and he sat in the chair Lucy pulled up to sit near Annette. "Aren't you going to play?" he asked her.

Annette looked over the top of the book she was reading, and her eyes burned into him. "Because I'm a coward," she said, simply, and her eyes shifted back to her book. Peter smiled and teasingly, took her book from her. Annette growled and stood to grab her book from Peter's hand. Very small in stature and only a few inches taller than Lucy, she had to jump to get it. "Give it back!" She yelled. Every time she jumped, Peter brought it even higher. Annette glared at him. "Give me my book back," Annette said, folding her arms.

"Wait a moment," Peter said, still holding tightly to her book and he looked at the ground. "I would like to…apologize for what I said last night. It was wrong and…" He stopped to remember the next part of the speech he had been rehearsing since breakfast. "I didn't know your brother was blind. It's just that I wish I could fight in the war and I thought that every male around my age must feel the same, no matter what." Peter wondered why he told this girl that last part when he hadn't even told his siblings his wish to fight in the war, and he looked at her.

Annette looked contemplative for a moment, and then smiled at him. "I accept your apology, Peter. And at any rate, Paul does wish he could be fighting, even though he's blind." Her smile turned into a look of longing as she thought of her family. "At least you have your siblings with you. I'd give anything to have mine."

"We could be your siblings," Peter said, smiling at her. "Oh, and here's your book. I'm sorry I took it from you, but I figured it was the only way I could get your attention." She took her book and gave him a small smile. Peter started to put a hand on her shoulder, but pulled it back as he thought it would be too weird. Instead, he stuck his hand out for her to shake it, "Mates?" he asked her.

At this, Annette smiled widely, and took his hand. "Mates," she said. There was a small silence between the two teenagers and Annette questioned, raising an eyebrow, "Aren't you supposed to be counting?"

Peter shrugged and grinned mischievously. "I never actually count. I usually just wait a while and then I yell out the last two numbers as if I was counting." Annette shook her head at him in amusement. "Are you going to play?"

"I might as well help you look," Annette sighed and put the book on the small table near the sofa where she had been sitting. "The book was boring anyway."

A couple seconds later, Peter called out, "99, 100!" and he and Annette ventured out to find his hiding siblings, but they could hear Lucy and Edmund arguing in a nearby corridor. Peter rolled his eyes and followed their loud voices. "I don't think the two of you get the point of this game," he joked and looked from Lucy's excited face to Edmund's annoyed one. "What's going on?"

"I've been gone for hours," Lucy started, but Susan came from wherever she was hiding and joined the group.

"Does that mean I won?" she asked, triumphantly, and then she looked at Peter and Annette standing together and grinned to herself.

"I don't think Lucy wants to play anymore," Peter told her and he turned to Lucy. "What are you playing now, Lu? Make believe?"

Lucy looked confused. "No, I've been in the wardrobe. There's this wood in there where I met a faun and we had tea together. His name was Mr. Tumnus. I've been gone for hours."

"Are you sure you weren't daydreaming, Lucy? I know there's sometimes I pretend I'm someplace different. Was it like that?" Annette asked the girl. _Maybe it's something Lucy made up that helps her cope with everything that's been happening, _she thought to herself.

"No, it's real. I know it is. Come and see!" Lucy motioned for them to follow her and she brought them to the nearly barren room that housed the wardrobe. For some reason, the hair on the back of Annette's neck stood up, and again she felt as if the wardrobe was calling to her. She gave a sideways look to the others, but they were set on exploring the wardrobe.

"The only wood is the wood in the back of the wardrobe," Susan said, putting her hands on her hips.

Annette watched as Lucy's face grew devastated. "But it was really there!"

"I believe you, Lucy," Annette felt compelled to say, "That wardrobe must have something fantastic about it. Maybe that's why the Professor keeps it in this empty room." Susan, Edmund, and Peter stared at Annette in bewilderment, but Lucy hugged the older girl tightly and Annette hugged her back.

"Then you're both nuts," Edmund said, shaking his head.

Peter glared at Edmund, and then turned to Lucy. "You're going a bit too far, Lu. You've had your fun. It was a great hoax." Lucy's eyes filled with tears and she tore from the room. Breathing deeply, Peter turned to look at Annette, who was standing in the doorway.

"You really don't believe her, do you?" asked Peter, eyeing Annette curiously.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling about that wardrobe," she said, looking at it, and then she looked at the older Pevensie siblings, "but, I would still go along with Lucy. She is young and she's probably scared, so she might have made up something that would seem familiar to her." "Or maybe she's going crazy," Edmund joked. However, Peter punched him hard on his arm. "Ow! Whatever was that for?!" He yelled, rubbing his arm.

"Stop teasing Lucy!" Peter rounded on him.

Before the two brothers started an argument, Annette slipped out of the room to find Lucy. She finally found Lucy in the room the girls shared. Since she couldn't reach the bed, she was on the floor, sobbing. "Are you okay, Lucy?" Lucy shook her head and kept crying. Annette knelt beside Lucy and tried to comfort her, but Lucy just turned away.

Lucy lifted her head off of the floor and sniffed, "I want to be alone."

Annette nodded, and honored the younger girl's wishes, leaving the room. _Don't worry, Lucy. It'll be okay in the end even if there isn't a wood in the wardrobe. _


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Lucy gave nearly all of them the silent treatment, except for Annette, and she asked Annette, not Susan, to help put her to bed. Susan quirked an eyebrow at Annette, who shrugged, after tucking Lucy in. Lucy fell asleep almost suddenly leaving Susan and Annette to have "older girl" talk. "I assume my brother apologized this morning?" Susan asked.

Annette nodded, getting into her own bed. "Yes, he did. We're friends now."

"Just friends?" Susan asked, curiously. Annette nodded again. "Do you think my brother's handsome?"

Annette blushed. "Well, er, um, I guess. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. Good night," Susan said, and she blew out the candle that was on the nightstand between the beds. Annette sighed, hoping that she didn't say too much, and soon fell asleep herself.

* * *

"Annette, can you come with me to the library?" Lucy asked her. The little girl was still avoiding her older siblings and was asking Annette to do everything with her. Even though Lucy was a very sweet kid, she was sort of getting a tad bit annoying, and all Annette wanted to do was sit on her bed and read.

"Why don't you ask Susan or Peter?" Annette asked, looking up from her chapter book. Lucy frowned at the mention of their names.

"But they're not as cool as you are," Lucy said, looking up at Annette with innocent brown eyes. Annette sighed and sat Lucy next to her.

"Lu, I think that you should try to make peace with your brothers and sister. They are your family and nothing is more important than family. I would give anything to have my brothers and sister here with me, especially now. Please, Lu, for me," Annette told the little girl, almost hoping that her words would work and that Lucy would call on her siblings for help again and leave her alone for awhile. The young girl looked as though she was taking what Annette said into consideration.

"Fine, but only because you say so," Lucy grinned, and she ran off to find the others. When she left, a sigh of relief escaped her.

* * *

A couple hours later, Mrs. Macready told the five children to play outside and get some fresh air. Lucy, Edmund, and Peter looked happy to be outside and out of the stuffy house, however, Annette and Susan were pouting for they had just been told off by the Macready (as they called her) for trying to take books from the library.

"What do you guys want to do?" Peter asked them, eyeing Lucy, especially.

"Let's play pretend!" Lucy said, jumping up and down, excitedly.

"Um, Lu, I don't think that's such a good idea," said Susan, sharing a worried look with Peter. Lucy frowned and started to walk away to which Edmund rolled his eyes.

Annette rolled her eyes up skyward. There were two ways she could go about this. She could be nice and play with Lucy, which might mean Lucy would never leave her alone. On the other hand, if she didn't, she would probably drive an eight year old little girl to tears. "I'll play with you, Lucy," she said. _I hate being the nice one, _she thought harshly to herself. Lucy's bright brown eyes immediately lit up.

"Yay!" Lucy ran to Annette and gave her a huge hug. Hugging her back, Annette fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"We'll all play then," spoke up Susan, quickly, a mischievous glint suddenly in her eyes.

Edmund groaned loudly. "But I don't want to play!"

"Then don't," Peter growled at him. Edmund cut his eyes at his older brother and went to sit under a large tree, glaring at them all the while. He especially cast a dark look at Annette, who actually cringed under the younger boy's gaze. There was no eleven year old who should be giving people looks like that. It was quite frightening.

"Let's play prince and princess!" Lucy said, grabbing both Peter and Annette's hands pulling them along with her. Peter smiled at Annette over Lucy's head and shrugged. Annette blushed slightly and smiled back at him. Meanwhile, Susan walked behind them, hatching her plan in her head.

"So, Annette, you're the pretty queen and an evil witch captures you, and Susan, you're the evil witch," Lucy said, assigning parts in her world of make believe. Angrily, Susan glowered at her little sister.

"Why am I the evil witch?" Susan demanded, and then she glared at Annette. Lucy usually made her the pretty queen. Annette gave her an apologetic look.

"Well, if Edmund played, I was going to make him the evil wizard, but he isn't," Lucy said, rolling her eyes at him. Edmund was sitting along the stream, dangling his toes in the water, and glaring at his siblings. "So, I made it a witch instead." Susan groaned. "And Peter, you're the prince."

"Who're you going to be, Lucy?" Annette asked her.

"A princess in your court," answered Lucy, as if it should be obvious. "Now, come on. Let's play!"

* * *

"So, I hear that thy queen has been taken by an evil witch," Peter said to a giggling Lucy, wielding a stick as a sword. He and Lucy were in the open field while Susan was standing in front of the tree Annette was hiding behind. Edmund was watching his siblings and Annette with interest, though he tried not to show it. The older kids looked bored, but Lucy was enjoying every minute of it. While Peter and Lucy talked, Susan and Annette sat down with their backs on the tree.

"Is your sister always this imaginative?" questioned Annette, pulling a blade of grass out of the ground.

"Always," Susan said, watching Lucy frantically tell Peter to look for the queen.

The two girls noticed that Peter was coming their way, and they stood, getting into character. "Unleash the fair maiden or I shall have to smite you!" Peter yelled at Susan, brandishing his sword.

"Never," Susan muttered, dryly. Annette almost rolled her eyes. Lucy looked at her, annoyed. Susan sighed. "Never!" she yelled in a more convincing voice.

"Help me!" Annette pleaded, almost laughing.

"What do I have to do to make you give up the queen?" Peter asked Susan. Susan rolled her eyes at Peter, but then a wicked look appeared upon her face.

"Kiss her," Susan smirked.

Annette and Peter both turned their heads to her with their eyes wide. "What?" they both yelled at her.

"Kiss her!" repeated Lucy, clapping her hands. Peter and Annette were both crimson.

"Um," Annette said, uncomfortably, "I don't think…"

"Now, see here, Lu-" started Peter, embarrassed.

Just then, fortunately or unfortunately, Annette still wasn't quite sure, a bucketful of water landed on her before Peter could finish his sentence. Annette gasped at the shock of ultra cold water hitting her body. Peter, Susan, and Lucy both turned to look at Edmund, who was on the ground, laughing wildly, a small water bucket sitting right next to the small stream that flowed through the professor's grounds. "Edmund!" Both Susan and Peter scolded. Annette glared at him.

"Say you're sorry!" Peter yelled at him, marching over towards him with his fists clenched. Edmund shook his head, still laughing. Peter, then, punched Edmund hard on the arm.

"Ow! That hurt!" Edmund shouted at him, shoving Peter away. What happened next made the girls nearly shriek from terror. The two brothers began a fight.

"What's going on here?!" yelled a cold voice, and the five children turned to see Mrs. Macready running towards them. "You two!" she barked at Peter and Edmund, and grabbed at their ears. "I think we're going to have a little talk upstairs in your room. You'll stay inside the rest of the day." Her eyes then alighted on Annette's wet clothes and hair. "And what happened to you, Miss Fielden?"

_That little brat threw water on me, _Annette thought to herself, but what she said was entirely different. "Um, I fell in the stream when we were playing," she said, quietly. Edmund, who had expected her to rat him out like his siblings probably would have done, looked at her in surprise. He went out of his way to completely annoy her and she actually stuck up for him!

"Come inside and change your clothes then, Annette," Mrs. Macready said, nodding her head towards the house, while still holding onto Edmund and Peter's ears. She nodded and headed up to the house followed by Mrs. Macready with Edmund and Peter. Edmund sulked on the way as he thought, _Maybe she's not so bad after all…_

* * *

That night, Annette lay in her bed and she noticed a small figure moving from the room with a candle in her hand. She rose from her bed and saw that Lucy was missing. Thinking nothing of it, she settled back down…until she heard creaking footsteps walk past the door. Looking up, she saw Edmund creeping past. _He's probably going to bother Lucy,_ Annette thought, and got up. She decided against waking Susan because she seemed to get slightly cranky when she didn't get enough sleep.

Quietly, she followed him until he reached the wardrobe that Lucy claimed to have found a world in, the wardrobe that kept calling to Annette. Edmund chuckled to himself and then he went inside. Expecting Lucy to run out screaming in five seconds, Annette stood in front of it, waiting. Two minutes passed. Curious, Annette strode over to the wardrobe and opened it. A blast of icy air shot out of the wardrobe and Annette was shocked for the second time that day. She pushed forward through the different clothes and coats until…_Is this a tree branch? _she asked herself, and then she tripped over something, most likely a coat that had fallen on the ground, and she fell on something…wet? Annette looked up and saw a bright white sky. Surronding her were trees covered with thick snow. _Oh…shenanigans…_ And she knew she had made her way into Lucy's fantastical world.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Chronicles of Narnia. That belongs to C.S Lewis. However, I do own the character, Annette, and her personality. **

CHAPTER FIVE

Annette picked herself up and brushed the snow off of her back and rear end. "I can't believe it's real. Lucy's world is real," she said to herself. She started laughing in amazement, and felt on one of the tree branches that bent towards her. Clearly amazed, she began walking through the trees until she got to a light post. Curious, she touched it and smiled. "I would like to see your dear brother and sisters, and the other girl," she heard a woman's voice say. Annette crept to the edge of the brush and peered through a break in one of the trees. She saw Edmund and a woman talking in a magnificent sleigh like Saint Nicholas was supposed to have driven. Near the sleigh was a funny little man dressed like an elf.

"Edmund?" she called out to him, coming from behind the tree. If he was talking to the woman, then she must be fairly nice for who could put up with him? Annette immediately regretted it as the woman's eyes fell upon her. They were coal black.

"Ah, another," she said, appraisingly, even though her eyes said otherwise, and she beckoned to Annette, who slowly but surely made her way to the sleigh. She felt like kicking herself for making herself known. "Edmund, is this one of your sisters?"

"No," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Now, Edmund, it's impolite to address a girl as such. You have much to learn, my little prince," the woman said. "Dear girl, you are not related to Edmund in any way, are you?"

"No, madam," Annette answered, quietly, trying not to notice the way the hair on the back of her neck was starting to stand on end.

"How would you like to be Queen one day, I'm sorry I don't know your name?" the regal woman asked her, imperiously.

"Annette," she said, "and I'm not sure I would make a very excellent Queen. C'mon, Edmund, it's time to go."

"But-" Edmund said, looking at the woman, "I was talking to the Queen."

The queen laughed heartily. "Nonsense, Edmund, if you must go, you must. Don't keep this charming girl waiting. Remember what I have said." Edmund nodded at her words, and to Annette, she called, "Good day, Annette," and the sleigh drove away, the small figure driving it.

"Your Majesty, why didn't you enchant the girl as well?" the dwarf asked her, as he pulled slack on the reins.

The queen looked back to see the two children arguing, and looked back to her companion. "It was not necessary. The boy is useful and easily swayed, and is already at odds with his family. The girl seemed too stubborn. Besides, it is the siblings who are the basis of the prophecy. That girl, I don't care whether she lives or dies as long as she stays out of my way."

Meanwhile, Annette was pulling Edmund along, back to the wardrobe, yelling at him for talking to strangers. "What if she was a murderer or something, Edmund? You could have been killed or worse." She didn't know why, but she felt it was her duty to castigate Edmund about this.

"Let go off me," he said, snatching his arm away from her. "It's not like Peter or Susan would care if I had." Edmund jammed his hands into the pocket of his robes. "Anyway, she's a queen. Queens don't murder their subjects."

"Then I guess you've never heard of Bloody Mary," Annette snapped. "She's murdered loads."

Edmund rolled his eyes, and mentally took back what he had thought earlier, about her not being as bad. He was about to utter something incredibly foul when Lucy bounded through the snow and hugged her brother around the middle. "You made it! You made it! Now you believe me!" She then beamed at Annette, and grabbed her hand. "Well, I know you believe me." With that, she began pulling Annette towards the wardrobe. "Let's go tell Peter and Susan! Now we can have loads of adventures together, the five of us! And we can visit Mr. Tumnus, and…"

Moments later, the three were outside the wardrobe and Lucy tore into the room she shared with Annette and Susan and jumped on the bed she shared with her sister. Susan woke groggily and glared at Lucy through her sleep filled eyes. "What's wrong, Lucy?"

"Susan! Susan! I've been in the wood again and Edmund and Annette have seen it, too!" Lucy said, shaking her sister incessantly.

"You've probably been dreaming about seeing it," Susan said, very annoyed now.

"No!" exclaimed Lucy, excitedly. "Really? Ask Annette and Edmund!" She turned to their door, motioning towards Edmund, who looked sulky, and Annette, who looked uneasy. Peter appeared behind them, his eyes squinted from sleepiness.

"What's going on here?" Peter yawned, stretching as he leaned against the door jamb.

"Peter, I've been in the wood again!" Lucy was jumping up and down, tears of joy in her eyes. "And Edmund and Annette have been there with me!"

Peter and Susan turned suspicious eyes towards the latter two. "You've seen the faun?" Peter asked them. Annette looked down to the ground, positive the older Pevensie children would believed she was nuts.

"They didn't go there with me. They…where were you guys, anyway?" inquired Lucy.

There was a moment of complete silence until Edmund spoke up. "I was just playing along, and Annette did too. You see, little children just don't know when to stop pretending."

At his words, poor little Lucy's eyes filled with tears, and Annette's anger at Edmund rose immensely. "It wasn't pretend!" she shouted, and all four Pevensies stared at her. Peter raised an eyebrow and folded his arms, and his younger sister mimicked him. "We were both in the wood, and there was snow, and a lamppost, and everything. It's true!"

Smirking at her, Edmund turned to his brother and sisters. "I told you she was batty, and she's being a bad influence on Lucy as well."

"If anyone's being a bad influence, it's you, you selfish little brat," Annette spat at him, walking towards him as if she was going to hit him. Peter grabbed for her arm, but failed and before everyone knew it, there was a resounding SMACK! Edmund's face was red where Annette had smacked him, and she was breathing deeply, as she always did when deeply angered.

The glare Edmund gave her now was especially treacherous and Annette almost shrank away from it. "I'm going to get you back for this, you'll see!" and with that, Edmund raced out of the room.

Peter rolled his eyes and made to follow his brother, but turned back to Annette. "What?" she snapped, her black hair falling into her face, making her look formidable.

"Well, maybe you were only dreaming of Lucy new world?" he asked, sheepishly.

Before Annette could yell at him also, Lucy spoke up. "I don't care if any of you believe me or not! I know I was there, a-and Annette was there, too! Why don't you believe me?" Lucy also ran crying out of the room. Annette glared at Susan and Peter, before they rushed out of the room to console their sister.

Annette laid in bed for a while, refusing to go to sleep until she knew Lucy was alright. As annoying as the child could get, she was like a little sister to her, and sometimes Lucy's real siblings could be down right uncaring.

It seemed like a really long time until Lucy came back, slightly more cheerful. "Feeling better, Lucy?" She asked, gently, as Lucy took a running jump onto her bed.

Lucy nodded. "I had some hot chocolate and that always helps," the little girl gave her a small smile.

"Where are Peter and Susan?" Annette rolled her eyes.

"I think they're with the professor," Lucy answered her, and then smiled again, "and he's not as scary as he looks. He's awfully nice. Just like Mr. Tumnus." Annette only nodded.

Fifteen minutes passed, and Lucy was fast asleep. Annette had lit a candle and was now reading one of her books. Susan finally came in, a confused look on her face. "How was the professor?" Annette asked, without looking up from her book.

Susan cut her eyes at her. "He wants to see you in his office first thing in the morning."

Annette was surprised at Susan's hostility, since they had usually gotten on well together, so she just nodded again. Even though it was clearly obvious Annette had been reading, Susan blew out the candle and got into bed. Annette, miffed, put her book on the bedside table and settled into bed herself. _I hope things get better by tomorrow, _Annette said in her head. However, a part of her highly doubted it.

The next morning, there was a steely silence at the breakfast table and Mrs. Macready, pleased that they seemed to have finally learned the importance in having manners. Twice though, she had to berate Annette and Edmund for having what she called "puss faces" at the table which seemed to be something else against her rules, to be unhappy at breakfast, and it seemed like everyone was giving everyone else the silent treatment.

After breakfast, the Pevensies headed outside while Annette went back upstairs to the professor's study with Mrs. Macready flanking her and telling her to fix her hair or some aspect of her outfit. The Macready opened the door for her and Annette walked inside. She had never been in the professor's study before, and it was like a much smaller version of his library. "Ah, welcome, Miss Annette. Come and sit." The professor, sitting behind his desk, motioned for her to sit across from him. Gingerly, Annette sat down.

"Yes, Professor Kirke?" she asked, warily, sure that he was going to accuse her of madness. But what came out of his mouth was the last thing she had ever expected.

"How was Narnia, dear?" he asked her, a twinkle in his eyes.

"How did you know about…?" Annette trailed off.

"It's much too long of a story, Miss Fielden," Professor Kirke told her, shaking his head. "Well, what did you find there?"

At this, Annette told him about meeting Edmund in the wood while he was talking to a very pale woman dressed in a long white fur gown. After she had finished describing the woman, she noticed the professor take on a serious look. "This woman…was she around six feet?"

"Yes, professor, and she calls herself the Queen of Narnia," Annette explained.

"Something must have happened to King Frank and Queen Helen," the professor muttered under his breath.

"What was that, sir?"

"Nothing, nothing," the professor tried to smile, but Annette could see right through it. "Go and make things right with your new friends. They'll believe you in the end, and next time, let's not let our hands do the talking on others' faces, shall we?" Annette blushed. She couldn't believe he knew about her slapping Ed in the face.

"Yes, sir," Annette agreed, embarrassed. She rose from her seat and walked towards the door.

"Oh, and Annette?"

Annette turned back to face him. "Yes, Professor Kirke?"

"One more thing: beware the White Witch." Annette just nodded, at first not getting his cryptic message, and went to join the Pevensie siblings, not yet knowing what fate had in store for the five of them later that day.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

When Annette found the siblings, they were outside, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Peter, Edmund, and Susan managed to start playing a civilized game of cricket with Susan being the catcher and Peter and Edmund traded off pitching and catching. Lucy was reading in the shade of a tree and smiled when she saw Annette. None of the other siblings noticed Annette sit down, besides Lucy, and Edmund only gave her an evil look.

Annette rolled her eyes and sat beside Lucy as the older ones played. "Can you read to me?" Lucy asked her, holding out a book full of Grimm's fairy tales out to her.

"Lucy, fairy tales?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl. Annette, about to argue, gave the smaller girl a look and her heart melted. "Fine."

"Susan won't ever read them to me," said Lucy, surprisingly resentful, and Annette could feel her pain. Rose wouldn't ever read to her either.

Everything was going so peacefully, but Annette knew it wouldn't long very last, and she was right. "Ow! That hurt, Peter!" Annette looked up from _Hansel and Gretel_ to see Edmund shaking his finger where the bat had hit him.

"Oops, sorry," Peter chuckled, not sounding very sorry at all.

Edmund rolled his eyes and snatched the bat from him, and thrust the ball into his hand. Peter still chuckled as he held back his hand to throw it. He did, and Edmund whacked the ball hard, a really excellent hit, and they all watched…as it crashed into the stained glass window somewhere on the third floor.

"That's epic," Annette muttered, not caring if he heard her or not. Edmund, however, didn't have the time to glare at her, but he looked visibly frightened of the consequences.

Peter dashed in the direction of the house, followed by the others, and they made their way up the stairs and into a narrow corridor. Sure enough, there was a large hole in the window, and that was not all the damage. A suit of armor that had apparently been in front of said window, had broken to pieces. Simultaneously, the others turned to look at Edmund. "Nice going, Ed," Peter snapped at him.

"Well, you bowled it!" accused Edmund.

"This isn't helping the situation at all," Annette said, truthfully, "We're going to be in so much trouble."

"No, Ed will be the one in trouble." Peter definitely looked annoyed at his younger brother.

"WHAT WAS THAT HIDEOUS RACKET?!" The voice of the stern woman floated up the stairs, striking very real fear into the children's hearts. "I have a party coming here in just half an hour and if anything up there is disturbed…" The five of them heard footsteps ascending the stairs, and they all gawked at one another.

"The Macready!" Susan whispered loudly, starting to panic.

"Well, I'm not going to sit here and get into trouble." Annette shook her head, and sprinted up the hallway. The others raced after her, clearly not wanting to be blamed for it either.

Somehow, Edmund managed to get it front of her, and it could have been Annette's imagination, but it seemed as if he was leading them straight for the wardrobe. Well, Annette's imagination served to be correct.

The five children reached the wardrobe room and Susan rolled her eyes. "You can't be serious," she moaned. Then, the footsteps seemed to be getting closer.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Edmund quipped. Susan rolled her eyes again as she climbed into the wardrobe followed by Lucy, Annette, Peter, and then Edmund himself.

"OW! You stood on my foot, Edmund!"

"No, I didn't!"

"The Macready's going to hear us! Shh!"

"Get off!"

The children suddenly silenced as they heard footsteps coming closer…closer…closer…and before they knew it, Peter, Susan, and Annette all fell into a pile of snow.

The two who haven't yet visited Narnia looked around at their surroundings in amazement, though Susan still had some doubt in her eyes. "This is impossible," she said, incredulously.

"Nothing's impossible, Susan," Annette smirked, getting up and helping Susan up as well.

"Lucy, Annette, I owe you both an apology." Peter's face took on the sheepish look he always gave when he had to apologize, something he'd been doing quite a lot lately. "Shake hands?" He shook each of the girl's hands, but when he shook Annette's, his hand lingered for a couple more seconds, to which she smiled a bit.

Susan hesitated before grabbing both her sister and Annette into a hug as an apology, and the other two girls gratefully accepted it. Annette smiled even wider at this, glad that she and Susan were okay again.

Edmund ignored all of the making up and said quite spitefully, "Shouldn't we go left if we're bearing for the lamppost?" Everyone turned to stare at him for the second time that day, Peter looking especially angry.

"So you have been here, and all this time you've been making Lucy and Annette out to be liars?" Peter demanded, advancing on Edmund, stomping his feet and making deep tracks in the snow. "Say you're sorry!" Edmund just looked up at Peter with deep disgust. "Now!" Peter balled his hand into a fist and Edmund rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lucy," he said, quietly.

Lucy nodded and then looked to Annette, "What about Annette?"

"What about her?"

"Apologize to her, too!" Peter yelled, angrily, his fist still raised.

"You only want me to apologize to her 'cause you like her!" Edmund shouted and Peter instantly grew bright red whether out of anger or embarrassment, the girls didn't know, but the next thing they knew, Peter threw a punch towards Edmund, who ducked it.

"Stop it! It's not that serious!" Annette said, pulling on Peter's arm, despite the blush that was creeping into her cheeks as well. "Come on."

"Yes, what shall we do now?" Susan interjected.

Lucy, who had been quiet all this time, piped up. "Let's go visit Mr. Tumnus!"

"Okay, that's exactly what we'll do," Annette smiled. Lucy took her hand and started pulling her in the direction of Mr. Tumnus's cave.

"Wait a minute," said Susan, stopping them, "Why don't we go back and get food or something? And it's getting colder by the minute."

Peter thought for a moment and pulled a fur coat from the wardrobe that was before them. "Here, we'll take some coats from the wardrobe. Nobody'll really mind it, and plus, we won't even be taking them out of the wardrobe, so _logically _(He said this to an irritated Susan, after she gave him a look of disapproval), it's not even stealing."

"Fine," she said, shrugging into another fur coat. Peter handed one to Lucy, and then to Annette.

"Um…here," he muttered quietly, completely avoiding her eyes.

"Thank you," Annette said, taking the coat from him. When he moved onto Edmund, Annette detected a bit of viciousness in his voice.

"Here you go, Edmund," he told him, throwing a bulky woman's coat into Edmund's arms.

Appalled, Edmund looked at the coat in disgust. "But that's a girl's coat!"

"I know," Peter shrugged, smiling nastily all the while.

With that, the children headed towards the faun's house with Lucy leading the way, and Annette trailing behind, noticing the evil glances Edmund was casting everyone. _Why does something tell me this are going to get a whole lot worse? And why did Edmund have to say that? Now everything will so awkward...especially between me and Peter. _She cast a look at him from under her eyelashes and just stared ahead, completely silent at times, or in some cases, flopping down to make snow angels, entertaining Lucy. Annette smiled at this. He was a really great big brother, even if he was a bit mean to Edmund.

Lucy led them through a small little valley and several trees until they finally reached a little cave which had a chimney coming out of it. "I can't wait for you all to meet him," Lucy was going on, "He's so kind and thoughtful and brave and..." She stopped mid-sentence and stared at the horrible spectacle before them. The door to the miniscule house was hanging off its hinges, barely staying on them. As they walked towards it, they could tell that someone had broken in, and judging by the footprints in the snow, had dragged poor Mr. Tumnus away. "NO!" Lucy screamed, dashing the rest of the way to Mr. Tumnus's house with her siblings and Annette following right behind her.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Annette reached the house shortly after Lucy, and stepped over the broken door. "This looks horrible," she said, picking a torn picture of what must have been the faun or one of his relatives. It looked as if it had been slashed with a knife or claws…or something else entirely. On the floor were ashes, where some bindings of books laid.

"Mr. Tumnus," Lucy sobbed, holding onto Susan, tightly, who gently hugged her back. Peter tugged at a slip of paper that had been nailed to the ground and squinted, trying to read the message.

"What's that, Peter?" Susan asked him, curiously.

Peter nodded towards the damaged door, and beckoned to his family and Annette. "I can't read it in here. The lights too dark. Let's go outside." The rest of them followed, except for Edmund, who stared around the little house in shock, clearly not believing (or wanting to believe) what happened to the little creature.

"Come on, Edmund," Annette called to him from where she was standing just outside the door.

"Don't order me around," he muttered under his breath, joining the others outside, with one last look around. The others, Peter and Annette especially, looked positively annoyed at him. "What? You can start reading now."

Peter rolled his eyes and read aloud, "_The former occupant of these premises, the Faun Tumnus, is under arrest and awaiting his trial on a charge of High Treason against her Imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, etc., also of comforting her Majesty's enemies, harboring spies, and fraternizing with humans. Signed, Maugrim, Captain of the Secret Police. Long live the Queen. _Who exactly is this Jadis woman?"

"She must be the White Witch," Lucy mumbled. Annette immediately snapped her head up at the mention of 'the White Witch', and the professor's warning came to mind. "She has Narnia under a spell where its always winter, but never Christmas. Almost everyone completely hates her."

"Maybe we should leave," Susan said, rubbing her arm, uneasily. "This sounds really dangerous."

"Well, perhaps, we should get the police?" asked Peter, shrugging.

"They _are _the police," Annette grabbed the paper from him and waved it at him in front of his face. "Think about it. If he got arrested for just talking to a human, imagine what would happen to us, who are actual humans."

Susan nodded in agreement. "Someone understands-"

"-But then again, he did save your sister," Annette interrupted Susan, and Lucy nodded her head in silent agreement.

"Are you crazy?" Edmund complained. "What good could we do? We're kids from London, for goodness sakes! And he's a criminal, maybe he deserved it."

"He didn't deserve anything!" Lucy screamed at him. "Don't you understand? The human is me. He was arrested because he didn't kidnap me and give me to the witch. We've got to free him." Lucy again began to cry. "We've got to…"

"Doesn't mean we're going to succeed," Edmund told them, shaking his head. "We might end up just like him or worse…"

"Edmund actually has a point," Annette hated to point out, and Edmund's face took on a smug expression, until Annette mentioned the following words. "So maybe we should try to look for help."

"Yes!" cried Lucy.

"What?!" Edmund shouted.

"Let's go," Annette motioned with her head for them to follow her, but no one, except for Lucy, did.

"Annette, let's think about this for a second. We have no clue how to get around. Lucy only knows this place and that's it. We don't want to go traipsing into the Witch's people, now do we?" rationalized Peter, and Annette rolled her eyes at him. Where was his sense of adventure?

Before she could respond, a little voice behind them called out, "The Son of Adam's damn right." Annette, Susan, Peter, and Edmund jumped, but Lucy only giggled. They turned, expecting a person standing there, but what they saw gave them quite a surprise.

"Is that…a beaver?" Edmund asked, turning his nose up at it.

"If it looks like a beaver and walks like a beaver, then it must be a beaver," Annette muttered under her breath. However, Edmund heard her and glared at her. She glared right back at him.

Peter held out his hand to it, making clucking noises with his tongue. "Peter, are you sure that's wise?" Susan asked him, worriedly.

He shrugged with one arm. "Not really." Susan rolled her eyes at him and he shared a grin with Annette, all awkwardness forgotten.

As he made the noises, the beaver came nearer and nearer to them. When it was finally no more than a foot away, Lucy, Susan, and Annette drew closer to Peter, in case it was a rabid beaver, and were they ever surprised when it opened its mouth. "Well, I'm not gonna smell it if that's what you're after." Edmund, Lucy, and Peter were wide-eyed, and Annette and Lucy only giggled at what the beaver said and the others' looks.

"Did that beaver just talk?" Peter asked, incredulously.

Before Susan could say anything, Annette interrupted her. "Yes, Peter, yes it did." Then she turned to the beaver, asking kindly, "Um, hello, Mr. Beaver. I'm Annette Fielden, and these are Lucy, Peter, Susan, and Edmund Pevensie. We're hoping you an tell us where Mr. Tumnus is?"

"Oh, you won't find him around. Lucy?" Lucy stepped forward and Mr. Beaver handed her a handkerchief. "Mr. Tumnus told me to give you that."

"Where is he?" Susan asked again, loudly this time.

"We should get out of the open," Mr. Beaver muttered, urging them forward, "so we can't be heard." With that, they began to follow the beaver.

"Heard by whom?" Susan whispered to the others.

"The trees," Lucy replied, matter-of-factly. Susan and Peter shared a look, but Annette only laughed silently to herself. Perhaps this adventure would be quite fun after all…


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to update. I recently started college this fall and it bit me in the behind. Now that I'm used to everything, I can actually concentrate on my story. I apologize for the long wait I put everyone through.**

Chapter Eight

Mr. Beaver led them through the forest in complete silence until they reached a small house built into the wooded edge of a small stream. "It's adorable," Annette voiced to Mr. Beaver, who nodded at her words of approval.

"Built it meself," he said, and nodding for the five children to walk towards it. They were all amazed as they stooped to enter to see that it was built as if very tiny people lived there. Inside was a female beaver, Mr. Beaver's wife, of course, and she welcomed them profusely.

Almost immediately, they were put to work. Annette, Susan, and Lucy helped Mrs. Beaver cook dinner with Annette grumbling all the while about, "don't see why the boys can't help cook." Peter and Edmund, on the other hand, helped Mr. Beaver fish, and Edmund, at least, had the manners not to complain. He was actually in his element, since he and his father went fishing a lot when he was home.

Finally, they sat around the fairly small table on stools, feeling like giants, while only the beavers looked the least bit comfortable. "Food taste great, girls," Mr. Beaver complimented, winking at them. Lucy and Susan nodded at him, and Annette managed a small smile as she ate.

Lucy couldn't hold it in anymore. "What happened to Mr. Tumnus?" she asked, nearly crying once again.

The two beavers shared a look before Mr. Beaver began to speak. "Well, there's some things you have to understand about our world, dear. These are dangerous times, and the White Witch knows something is happening around here. Many have been turned to stone at her hand."

"Wait? Turned to stone," Susan interrupted, disbelievingly. "You can't really expect us to believe that."

"Susan, with everything we're going through, you're not seriously still thinking all this isn't believable," Annette shot at her.

"I'm just saying. There's an evil witch, fauns, and talking beavers (no offense)," she said to them, and then eyed Annette again. "I'm sorry that it's taking me a bit more time to comprehend."

"Well, grow an imagination!" Annette shouted, and immediately felt sorry for what she said, once she saw the hurt look on Susan's face. Susan got up from where she was sitting beside Annette, and went to sit next to Lucy instead, leaving Annette near Edmund.

She looked up and noticed the two beavers, watching them, amused. "Well, if you two are quite finished," started Mrs. Beaver, a hand…er, paw, on her tiny hip.

"Sorry," both girls muttered in unison.

"Anywho, it well may be that Mr. Tumnus will be saved anyway, because of Aslan," Mr. Beaver finished.

Annette gasped at the mention of Aslan. It was as if a warm feeling ran through her, and she could the same happened to the others as well.

"Who is Aslan?" asked Lucy, and Mr. Beaver started to chuckle.

"'Who is Aslan?'" he repeated, now guffawing, but stopped at the blank stare on the five's faces. "Oh…right…you don't know."

"Well…" Susan prompted him.

"Aslan's the King of the forest, the Lord of the whole wood, don't y'know?" Mr. Beaver told them. "Why, I'm supposed to be takin' ya to the Stone Table to see him."

At this, Edmund silently rose from the table and only Annette noticed. She held onto his arm. "Where are you going?" she hissed. "Stay here. Didn't you listen to Mr. Beaver? It isn't safe."

"Who are you, my mum? Besides, I'm only going out to get air," Edmund sneered at her, crossing his arms. As he headed out of the door, Annette grabbed her coat, and followed him, the other three still entranced by the beavers' story.

Gasping once she stepped outside, she hugged her coat tighter around her for warmth. It had gotten so much colder and darker. All she could see was the falling snow around her and a shadow where Edmund stood. "Edmund, what are you doing?" she yelled. He was now a little ways away from the dam, going in the direction from which they came. "Why can't you listen?" Again, she grabbed his arm, trying to hold on tightly to the younger but taller boy.

"It's not like you even care," Edmund accused. "None of them do, so let me go." She tried to pull him back into the house, but Edmund gave one good push, and Annette fell. As she did so, she struck her head again something hard, and fell into unconsciousness. The last thing she saw was Edmund walking along a path between two mountain before everything went black.

* * *

"_Charlie?" Annette called out, running to the figure on the grassy hill. Her older brother turned to smile at her, and they embraced. "Charlie? How's the war? How's Dad? Is it almost over?" She inquired, question after question, but her brother shook his head._

"_It won't be over for a while, but I hear you have a whole other war ahead of you," Charles told her, ruffling her hair, as he always did when they were younger. _

_Annette looked at him, weirdly. "What do you mean, Charlie?"_

"_The fifth, the extra, she will lead the Narnians to deliverance from a new kind of evil after the old dies, she who will be known as the High Queen of Narnia," Charlie recited, as if it were one of the poems he liked to read. "Remember it well, Annette. I know you'll be a great leader."_

"_Charlie, what-"_

"_You'll see," he smiled, and began to fade before her. "It's time to wake up now, Annette. Wake up, wake up, wake-"_

* * *

"-Up! Annette!" _That voice doesn't sound like Charles anymore, _she thought to herself. Annette's eyes fluttered open. Above her was Susan, who was shaking her. "Please wake up!"

"Su-Susan?"

"Annette!" Lucy and Susan immediately flung themselves on her, embracing her hard.

"Annette, I'm so sorry about our argument," rattled off Susan, while Lucy ran off, calling, "She's OK! Annette's OK!"

Peter and the beavers tore out of the dam, and he hugged Annette immediately. Annette went wide-eyed before hugging him back. In spite of everything, Susan still had the mischievous streak in her to smile knowingly at Lucy. When he hung back, Peter questioned her, "Do you know what happened to Edmund? Was he taken by someone? What happened?"

Annette racked her brain to remember. "No, he wasn't taken. He left. I tried to stop him but…I tripped over something and fell on something." She decided not to tell them that Edmund had pushed her, as it would only make Peter angrier at him.

Growling, Peter looked all around, calling, "EDMUND!" and then softly muttered, "I'm going to kill him."

Just then, Mr. Beaver piped up, darkly. "Has Edmund ever been to Narnia before?" The three siblings looked from Mr. Beaver to Annette, curiously.

"Oh my…" Annette trailed off. "He met the Witch. We both did. He was sitting in her carriage and eating something, but I can't remember what. He mentioned us to her and she asked him if he'd like to be the King of Narnia…"

Mr. Beaver raced to the mouth of the dam, and beckoned them to follow. "She knows you're here. We've got to move!"

Susan and Lucy followed behind him, quickly, but Peter stated behind. Annette watched as he kicked a rock in frustration. She was about to say something, but decided to just leave him alone for the moment. She really couldn't think of anything, anyway.

He only joined them when he heard wolf howls in the distance. "Oh, don't tell me she has wolves on her side," Annette groaned as she helped Mrs. Beaver pack. Wolves were her favorite animal, after all.

All thoughts of her dream were forgotten, including what her brother told her. Not thinking it mattered, Annette didn't try to remember.

"'Fraid so, dearie," Mrs. Beaver said, patting her arm, and she gave her bag to Mr. Beaver, who hoisted it on her shoulder.

"Son of Adam, Daughters of Eve, over here!" Mr. Beaver nodded towards a large hole in the ground, which they hadn't noticed because a rug hid it.

"You've got to be kidding me," Susan grumbled as she jumped into it. Annette didn't want to go jump either, but scratching noises came from outside of the den, followed by growls, too close to Annette's liking, so she followed her.

Once she jumped in, Annette had to be steadied because she was still a bit dizzy. "You okay?" Peter asked her, concerned. Annette only nodded as she took a torch from him, and grabbed Lucy's hand, since she was closer to her. As they ran, Annette felt sorry for the poor girl, very sure she didn't realize what a true adventure this would be.

"Come on! Move!" cried Mr. Beaver, as he led them through the dark tunnel. Moments later, they emerged into the cold, dark night. Peter and Mr. Beaver put a barrel in front of the hole to close it, and Annette nearly fell, because Lucy tripped over something. She gasped when she saw the little stone creatures. "No." Mr. Beaver shook his head at the sight. "My best mate." He pointed a shaky paw at the stone of a badger, and his wife snuggled close to him for comfort.

"Well, well, well…" said an unfamiliar voice, and the six of them looked up, sharply.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

The six of them looked up sharply to find a fox standing before them. Angrily, Mr. Beaver lunged at him. "You!" he shouted, just as his wife shouted, "NO!" Peter had to hold the beaver back as the fox chuckled lightly, mentioning he was one of the good guys.

"If you run, they'll just catch you and tear you to shreds," the fox said in a knowing voice. "Hide in the trees. I'll take it from here." From the distance, they heard wolf howls getting nearer to them.

Annette looked up and sighed. She hated climbing trees. "Can't we just hide in a bush?" she asked, uneasily. Peter didn't give anyone time to answer as he gave her a leg up into one of the smaller trees and she had to grab the branch quickly for fear of falling.

As they sat in the tree waiting, Annette looked down at the ground with a greenish hue on her face. "Are you okay, Daughter of Eve?" Mrs. Beaver asked her, quietly rubbing her back. Annette only nodded, afraid that if she opened her mouth she would puke.

Underneath them, the wolves finally appeared, looking much larger than any wolves they had ever seen. "Where are the humans?" One of them asked the fox, sneering at them. "I smell them. I know they were here."

"Hmm, I don't rightly know," the fox said in his light voice. The biggest wolf motioned to one of the others and he seized the fox in his teeth. Lucy nearly shrieked but Susan covered her mouth.

"Where are the humans?" the leader demanded, and the wolf squeezed his teeth down on the fox, who whimpered with pain.

"North. The humans…they went north," the fox said, clearly in pain. The wolf dropped and ran off in the direction he told them, howls fading into the distance. The children dropped out of the tree and approached the fox, who was trying to walk away, but couldn't because of his wounds.

"You saved our lives," Mrs. Beaver told him, and pulled out what looked like a first aid kit to the humans. "Now, let me save yours."

Later, as they sat around a fire, Mrs. Beaver fixed the fox's wounds and Annette, Lucy, Susan, and Peter huddled around the fire. "Are you alright?" Lucy piped up.

The fox nodded. "Their bark is worse than their bite, Your Majesty."

Annette was confused. "Your Majesty? You're all royalty?"

"No, we're only from Finchley. Our mum's a seamstress," Susan told her. "We're not anything close to royalty."

"You mean they don't know?" the fox asked the beavers. The humans looks turned from the fox to the beavers, eyeing them curiously.

Mr. Beaver sighed. "There's a prophecy…'When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone sits at Cair Paravel's throne, the evil time will be over and done.' You see, on the Eastern shore, there's a castle called Cair Paravel and inside there are four thrones. It is said that two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eves are meant to sit on those thrones."

"This is where I draw the line," Susan nearly shouted, standing up. "You want us to rule a country we know nothing about."

Annette had to agree. "Look, we just want to find Aslan, so he can help Edmund, and then leave."

The fox stood blithely. "You are destined to save Narnia. Though only four of you are mentioned in this prophecy, all five of you are needed. If you leave Narnia now, our world will probably end as we know it."

Annette let that sink in and she rolled her eyes. "Then again, I don't want the destruction of a world on my shoulders, either."

"How about we sleep on it?" Mr. Beaver told them, stretching out onto the snow. The rest followed suit, or at least some did.

Annette, on the other hand, just couldn't fall asleep. Every dream she had was laced with wolves jumping at her, and that woman glaring at her. She shuddered. What if she died here? How would her Mum or Dad know, or Rose or Paul or Charles, for that matter?

"So, you're still up, are you?"

She looked up and smiled slightly at Peter, who flopped down beside her. "I couldn't sleep. I keep thinking horrible thoughts."

"Me, too," he admitted, picking up a stick and poked at the snow with it. "You know, my Mum made me promise to look out for them…and you, and as we can see, I can't even do that." At this, his voice broke a little. He looked over to the sleeping animals. "How can they expect me to look after a country?"

"If it means anything, I think you'll be a great king, Peter," Annette reassured him, putting her hand on his shoulder lightly.

"I mean, it's my fault that Edmund's run off," he said, throwing the stick down.

"It's all of our faults. We were all hard on him, Peter. In any case, we should have gotten him a leash."

Peter chuckled. "That's true. But what happens when they find out we aren't their royalty."

"We get Edmund and go back through the wardrobe," Annette worked out, "but some part of me wants to stay and help."

"I know. I think we all feel that way," he said. "I actually don't think we have much of a choice. Besides, I don't think the animals will be happy…and they have sharp teeth." Annette laughed aloud at his words, but received a couple "sssh"s from the others. "I'm happy you're here, Annette."

Annette blushed, hoping it was still dark enough to hide it. "Really, why?"

Little did she know, Peter was blushing as well. "Well…I…I mean you've been a big help with the others. Susan and Lucy adore you, and I know Edmund will come around eventually. And I think you're really nice…and I…er, I think you're…um, I li-never mind," he spluttered

"What?" she encouraged.

"Never mind," he repeated, and stood, heading back to where he had been next to Lucy.

"Oh, okay," Annette muttered, disappointed.

"Annette?"

"Yes," she said, a little too quickly, looking back over to him.

"Thank you." Peter smiled warmly at her, and she smiled back.

She watched as he laid down, and smiled. Even though she had only known him for a week and a couple days, there was just something about him that made her insides want to melt. What had he been about to say to her, though? Annette groaned inwardly, and settled down into a comfortable position, hoping what Edmund had said earlier that day (Had it all really been the same day?) was true.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

The next morning, the group woke up, the kids sore from having to sleep on the cold, hard ground all night. "Well, I have to be off," Mr. Fox said, bowing deeply to the Pevensie children and Annette.

"Where are you going?" Lucy asked curiously, cocking her head to one side.

"I'll be rounding up more troops for Aslan," he explained. "Good day, Your Highnesses. Good day, Beavers." With that, he loped off, into the trees and out of sight.

"He was nice," Annette mentioned, worry in her eyes. "I hope nothing happens to him."

"Nah, nothing will. He's a fox. Foxes are sly. They know how to take care of themselves," Mr. Beaver told them, "but now we must be off also. Don't want the witch to find us, do we?" Lucy and Susan visibly shuddered, and Annette winced. Peter, of course, didn't do anything, wanting to be strong for both his sisters and Annette.

They hiked in silence for about fifteen minutes until they reached a vast clearing. There were no trees, no bushes, nothing but snow. "I don't like this. That's too out in the open," Susan said, shaking her head.

"Oh, there's a wood at the edge," pointed out Lucy. However, the older teenagers looked grim. Anyone could see them and overtake them by the time they reached it.

"Aslan's at the Stone Table just over the frozen river," said Mr. Beaver.

Peter looked down at him, uneasily. "River?"

"Don't worry, dear, it's been frozen for a hundred years."

"I don't very much like water," Annette said in a small voice.

"You'll be fine," Peter smiled at her, placing his hand on her shoulder, and she smiled wildly at him.

"I sure hope so."

Susan, however, still looked nervous. "Narnia's this big?"

Both beavers chuckled. "Why, of course it is. It's our world." Mrs. Beaver patted her arm as they headed towards the clearing. Susan glared at Peter as she passed him and pulled Annette and Lucy with her.

"My wolves tore that dam apart, Edmund. Your little family was nowhere to be found. Now, where are they?" The White Witch demanded, her cold eyes glinting angrily at him.

The black haired boy stared blankly at her, not wanting her to see the relief in him that they were safe. Sure, Peter was a jerk and the girls could be downright annoying, but he didn't want to see them hurt. Not even Annette, who they seemed to like even more than him.

As if reading his mind, the Witch spoke, "You think your family cares you're here? They don't care about you, Edmund, do they? As soon as that Annette girl appeared, they started taking her side instead of yours, didn't they? Come now, Edmund. If you tell me where they are, you and your family may go, and maybe I'll keep Annette here as a servant. How would you like that? She'll never bother you or your family again."

Edmund hugged his sweater closer about him. It was cold in her ice palace. As he thought on this for a while, Jadis impatiently tapped her fingers on her throne room chair. "You're taking too long to answer, boy!"

"I….I can't," he said softly, surprising even himself. "My brother and my sisters care too much about her."

Jadis' lips curled into a sneer. "Very well, then. G'nnabrik," she called to the dwarf that was her close servant. "Ready my sleigh? Edmund misses his family."

"I spy with my little eye…"

"Snow?" Annette answered the younger girl, dryly. They had been in the clearing for nearly half an hour and Lucy tried to keep them entertained, but it wasn't working so much. Every three seconds, Mr. Beaver was pestering them to move faster, and it became very annoying.

Lucy pouted, but began giggling again as Peter bent down to put her on his back.

Just then, Annette whirled around. She had heard something behind them, but she couldn't put her mind on what it could possibly be.

"Run!" Mrs. Beaver yelled from her position in front of them.

"Her, too?" Susan grinned.

"No! Behind you! It's her!"

That was all Mrs. Beaver needed to say before they began to sprint towards the forest. Annette panted to keep up with the others as Peter, Susan, Lucy, and the beavers were farther ahead of her. She couldn't make it, she had to stop to take a breath.

Peter turned around, his eyes widening. Annette had stopped. She had her hands on her knees, panting hard. "Here, go on." Peter put Lucy down, and his sisters stared at him in wonder. "Go!" He ran back to Annette, and grabbed her hand. "Let's go, Annette!"

"Peter, I can't…run…anymore!" she said between breaths. "Just go!"

Rolling his eyes, he bent down and pulled her onto his back, beginning to run. Both of them blushed all the while. As they reached the forest, they were pulled into an outcropping of rock. Annette almost screamed but Susan covered her mouth. "Ssh." All six waited in panicked silence as they watched a shadow hover over them, wait for a few seconds, then leave.

"I'll go check, then," Peter told them, quietly. Before he could move to the edge of the outcropping, Mr. Beaver held him back.

"No, Peter, you're worth nothing to Narnia dead."

The small beaver made his way out from under the outcropping and again silence took over the group. "Hey!" Mr. Beaver's head popped over where they hid and Lucy cried out in surprise. "Hope you've been good! There's someone here to see ya!"

One by one, they left the outcropping to stand at the edge of the clearing. Annette, Susan, and Peter's jaws dropped. Lucy immediately giggled. In front of them was none other than Saint Nicolas, the jolly red man himself. Susan was the first to speak. "Okay, I've gone on with a lot, but this…"

"Merry Christmas, sir," Lucy said, holding out her hand to shake it.

"Merry Christmas, Lucy." The old man smiled down at all of them. "And to you, Peter, Annette, Susan, and beavers."

"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia," Annette found her voice. "Why, all of a sudden is there Christmas if there hasn't been one in a hundred years?"

"The Witch's power is weakening," he explained. "The ice is losing its grip…thanks to you."

"What? How?" inquired Susan.

"You've brought this country hope again." From his large sleigh pulled by twelve fabulous reindeer, he pulled a sack. "You've still got a journey ahead of you, but with these, hopefully, you'll fare well." Out of his sack, he drew a magnificent sword with a lion at the hilt and shield, and handed them to Peter. He looked awestruck at both of his presents and swung the sword a little as if to practice. "The time to use them is near at hand, Peter. Bear them well." Next, he handed Lucy a vial and a dagger. "This, Lucy, is a juice from the FireFlower. It will heal any injury. As for the dagger, use it only when you need to."

"I could be brave enough," Lucy told him, putting her small hands on her hips and Annette couldn't help but smile at her.

St. Nicolas threw his head back and laughed. "I don't doubt you could, but battles are ugly affairs when women get involved."

Annette and Susan shared an annoyed look at his words. St. Nicolas either chose to ignore it or didn't see it. "And for you young ladies," he handed each girl a bow and a quiver full of arrows, "both of you are so well read, you often forget to live in reality instead of in logic (He looked pointedly at Susan.) and fantasy (He looked pointedly at Annette. And Susan, you don't seem to have a problem with making yourself heard, but here…" He gave her a horn that seemed carved out of ivory. "When you blow this, help will come wherever you are. And you, Annette Fielden," St. Nicolas clasped a bracelet made of rubies on her wrist, "this bracelet will help you when you least expect it."

Annette stared down at it, carefully. On every ruby was intricately sketched with the face of a lion. It was beautiful. "Thank you, sir," she said, and the others did also.

"Now, I must go. Oh, and beavers, I believe you'll find presents back at your dam for you." Before he got back into sleigh, Lucy stopped him.

"What about Edmund?!" she cried, frantically. "Don't you have a gift for him?"

"Dear, the fact that you are willing to never give up finding him is gift enough for your brother." He got back into his sleigh and was off. "Long live Aslan!" He cried as he left.

"Told ya he was real," Lucy shot at Susan. Susan opened her mouth to say something, but just shut it.

"Oh, no," Annette gasped. It had just hit her. "If winter is ending, the river…"

The three teenagers exchanged worried glances.

"Oh, we'll be fine. Come on now," said Mr. Beaver.

Annette groaned nervously as she followed behind them.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, but this has been my first year of college, and it has really been kicking my butt as you can see. My summer break is almost here, and therefore, I'll have much more updates in the future. Please bear with me.**

* * *

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Oh, we'll be fine?" Annette asked the beavers, huffily, folding her arms. "That doesn't look like we'll be fine to me!" She pointed a quavering finger towards the lake, which instead of being frozen solid like the beavers expected, was now melting, and only a very small patch of ice was left...in front of a rather huge waterfall. "What if it breaks? I can't swim!" She nearly shouted, panicking.

"Annette, calm down," Peter told her, gently, "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." She turned towards him, and immediately found herself mesmerized in his blue eyes…until Susan nudged her playfully, giving her an innocent look when Annette stared at her questioningly.

"C'mon, dears," Mrs. Beaver called from the ice at the bottom of the lake where Lucy, Peter, and Mr. Beaver already stood.

"You fancy him, don't you?" whispered Susan as they climbed down together.

"Who?" Annette asked, playing dumb, though knowing exactly who she was talking about.

"My brother, of course," the younger girl giggled, "I saw how you were just looking at him. I'm only thirteen but I know about this things." At this, Susan tried to sound superior, and Annette still managed to have a stupid look on her face. "You should tell him, y'know? I bet he likes you as much as you like him. But if you don't….I will!" She dashed away when they hit the bottom.

"Susan!" Annette cried, wide-eyed, chasing after her.

When they reached the others, Peter held them both back. "Wait. Mr. Beaver's going to check and see if it's safe." However, he got no more than three steps ahead until they heard growling close by. "No!" He yelled, and grabbing Lucy's hand, tried to pull her too the other side, but in only a few seconds, they were surrounded.

"Well, isn't this cute?" the lead wolf sneered at them. "Out for a lovely winter picnic, are you?"

"Leave us alone!" Annette shouted, kicking snow in the wolf's face.

Yelping, the wolf wiped the snow from his eyes and snout and went back to growling. "If I wasn't trying to be peaceful, you would have just signed your death warrant girl. For the next couple minutes, I suggest you stay quiet or else." Annette then shrank back and clutched Peter's jacket tightly.

Suddenly, Mr. Beaver ran at one of the others wolves, scratching its side, but it sidestepped, now holding Mr. Beaver in his teeth. "Beaver!" His wife cried, a single tear running down her small face.

"Peter, do something!" Lucy whimpered, putting her face into his coat.

Immediately, Peter pulled his sword from the scabbard, and Annette noticed a slightly frightened look on the wolf's face before becoming menacing again. "Put the sword down, boy, you won't do anything with that. Look if you promise to never return to Narnia, we'll let you leave with your brother and all will be well."

Susan put a hand on Peter's shoulder. "Stop. Maybe we should listen to him!" she yelled, fearful.

Yet, when the wolf spoke, Annette could see something flicker behind his eyes. "No, Peter! We have to move on! He won't let us leave! They'll kill us!"

"Don't listen to this girl, boy. She'll end up having someone killed."

As if to accentuate his words, the wolf behind him with Mr. Beaver in his jaws, bit down slightly, but just enough to make him whimper. "Don't…worry about me, Peter! Run him through!"

Peter stood there, silent, hesitating, as all three (his sister, Mr. Beaver, and Annette) yelled their opinions to him on what he should do. If only they could be quiet for just one second…

"Just because some man in a red coat hands you a sword, it doesn't make you a hero!" Susan screamed in his ear and Annette kept yelling, "Don't listen to him, Peter! Kill him!"

"Peter!" Lucy, who had been quiet through this whole ordeal, shrieked, looking towards the waterfall, as did the others.

"No!" Annette screeched, her eyes full of fear.

"Grab on to me!" He yelled to Annette and Susan, " and, Annette, you hold on to Lucy!" Susan did so, but Annette was frozen out of fear. "Annette! Now!" Quickly, Annette grabbed Peter's coat, and with her other hand, held onto Lucy's, as the waterfall burst, icy cold water raining down on them. It all happened so quickly. Annette gasped as the coldest water she had ever felt in her entire life drenched her, so even the warm fur coat grew suddenly freezing and uninviting. Few seconds later, they rose from the depths of the river, Peter's sword embedded in the ice, she and Susan still holding onto him tightly, and Annette held Lucy.

"Peter…if we live through this…remind me to kill… you," Annette managed to splutter between her chattering teeth, as they floated down the river to the other side. They reached the other embankment, Annette truly glad to see Mr. Beaver unharmed by the wolf's sharp teeth. Susan, off the piece of ice first, looked around hysterically, and turned back to them. "Annette!" she screamed. "What have you done?! Lucy!"

For in Annette's hand, was Lucy's coat, but no Lucy. "Oh, God, no!" Annette yelled, scrambling to stand next to her.

"This is all your fault!"

"I didn't know! I couldn't tell!"

"How could you not tell?"

"It's not her fault, Susan!" Peter shot at his sister, "and instead of arguing help me look for her!"

"What's…everyone….yelling about?"

In unison, their heads turned to find the sweet Lucy, stumbling up the banks to meet them. Susan ran to her and hugged her tightly, as did Peter. Annette was about to join them in their hug, but something, for some reason, held her back. Though they had been through so much together, there was still something inside her that made her feel she didn't belong, especially with the way Susan just snapped at her. So she watched them with a slight smile on her face, rubbing her cold arms.

Mrs. Beaver nudged Annette tenderly, "Look, it's spring," she told her, nodding up ahead.

The humans were speechless. Instead of the barren, snowy wasteland she had gotten used to, everything was green: the grass, the leaves in the trees, and even the flowers strewn about here and there.

"We're near the camp, now," Mr. Beaver said, grinning widely. "A bit further, Son of Adam, and Daughters of Eve…come on."

"It's so pretty," Annette breathed, following the couple.

_Yeah, _Peter thought in his mind, smiling as she passed him, _pretty. _


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I am SOOOOO sorry to have kept you all waiting! I know I haven't updated for a very long time and I apologize, because I said I would update during the summer but I didn't. I've had writer's block about this story for the longest, and watching Prince Caspian on TV is what renewed my interest, and I'm glad it did. I will be finishing Annette's story even if it kills me (which I quite hope it doesn't). Thank you to all who reviewed, and I will try my hardest to keep updating regularly from now on. So without further ado, I bring you the much awaited for...**

* * *

CHAPTER TWELVE

After a bit more of walking, Annette gasped as they came upon a camp, a medieval looking camp, with multicolored red and gold tents and a vast amount of creatures she thought only existed in her fantasy books. "Look," she said to Lucy, pointing out all the creatures she knew about. "The ones who have human torsos and horse bodies are called centaurs, and those…"However, she trailed off when she noticed everyone in the camp where staring at her and the Pevensie children.

The most muscular centaur led them to the biggest tent in the field and bolted inside. "Are we that ugly?" Peter joked to Annette, who elbowed him in his ribs. The centaur came out of the tent just as quickly as he went in, and there was a short moment of silence before something purely amazing happened.

A lion, the largest lion Annette had ever seen in her entire life, stepped of out the tent, looking every bit as regal and majestic as lions should be. In unision, the creatures bowed before him, followed by the Beavers, and then one by one, Annette, Susan, Lucy, and Peter.

"Go on and talk to him, then," Mr. Beaver whispered loudly to Peter. "Sons of Adam before animals."

Peter gulped, and turned toward Annette and his sisters. "Well, Dad always told me to let ladies go first, so…"

Annette rolled her eyes. _Cowards,_ she thought to herself, before speaking slowly, making sure not to look the giant lion in the face, remembering reading somewhere that predatory animals did not like that too much. "Hello, Aslan, I'm…"

"Yes, I know who you are, Annette, Daughter of Eve. Welcome," He nodded in her direction, and then nodded to Susan and Lucy. "Welcome also to Lucy and Susan, Daughters of Eve." When Aslan turned toward Peter, he paused, before greeting him, light glinting in his eyes as he spoke, "Welcome, Peter, Son of Adam. Also to you, Beavers. Thank you." After he turned from Peter, he looked to the side of him but seemed puzzled, though only for a moment. "Where is the fifth child?"

Peter rose, and said quietly, "Um, that's sort of why we're here, sir. Edmund's been capt-"

"He betrayed them to the White Witch," Mr. Beaver cut him off, and Annette couldn't help but glower at him. _At least the way Peter worded sounded a bit more nicer than that, even though it is true…_

The muscular centaur snarled harshly and raised his bow and arrow, "Then he has betrayed us all!"

"Oreius, peace," Aslan told the centaur, who bedgrudly lowered his weapon. "How did this happen?"

The human children were silent but Peter spoke up, "It was my fault. I was too hard on him, Aslan." Annette immediately felt the need to hug him as he looked very close to tears as he told Aslan the reason behind his brother's treachery.

"We both were," Susan said, touching her brother's shoulder lightly.

"Actually, we all were," Annette told him, admitting her part in it all, "but he was being quite rotten, no offense," she added to the other Pevensie siblings.

"Why do you want him back then?" Aslan asked the children, and neither one answered until Lucy piped up, eyes brimming with tears.

"Because he's our brother," Lucy said, frowning sadly.

He touched her with his paw gently. "Be at peace, dear one. All will be done for your brother. But it will be harder than you think." He motioned for a group of centaur women to come forth. "Take these young women to a tent where they can refresh themselves after their long journey." The women nodded, and gladly took the girls by their hands, leading them to a small tent on the left of Aslan's.

"Do you think they're going after Edmund now?" Lucy asked Annette as two dryads fitting the both of them into Narnian style gowns. Annette's was a long gown with purple and silver coloring and Lucy's was green and white. Annette was about to tell the truth and answer, "No," but saw the frightened look on the young girl's face. "Yes, Aslan's probably going to look for him as we speak."

As the dryads finished fitting them, the two girls took their old clothes, which were rather dirty and washed them in a stream behind their tent, where Susan was already washing her clothes. "Here, let me," Susan said, taking Lucy's clothes from her and began to wash them and Annette did the same with her clothes.

"My sister Rose loves old fashioned dresses like this," Annette said, smiling wistfully at the memory of her older sister. "She'd be so jealous if she knew what I was up to."

"You should take a whole trunkful back to her, Annette," Lucy cried with excitement, "and Susan, we could take some back for Mum!"

Susan looked up from their clothes, "I don't think that's possible, Lu. I don't think the wardrobe works like that, and besides, it's not…" Annette gave her a meaningful look, and both girls turned to Lucy, who frowned and began pulling blades of grass out from the ground. "Sorry, Lucy. I just need a little more time to take in all this fantasy stuff."

"We've been in Narnia for two days," Annette laughed, "How much more time do you need?" Lucy giggled with her, and Susan pouted, rolling her eyes, but ended up joining the other two in laughter.

"Isn't this sweet?" a familiar voice leered from the woods in front of them. The three girls looked up and shrieked as the wolf called Maugrim and one of his lieutenants emerged. "Too bad we have to break this up." He leaned forward on his haunches as if positioning himself to pounce. "Don't run. We'd much prefer to kill you quickly."

On instinct, Annette clasped the bracelet around her wrist, but was let down when she realized nothing happened…at all. "Run, Annette!" Susan cried, pushing her forward. "Grab Lucy!" Annette wasted no time in doing what Susan told her, and tugged on the small girl's hand as Susan lunged forward to grab her horn, blowing it as hard as she could, a piercing sound emanating from it.

_At least hers isn't broken,_ Annette thought as she pushed Lucy towards a tree, and gave her a leg up. Maugrim leapt at Susan, but she hit it in the face with her horn, and made it bleed. That gave her time she needed to reach the tree Annette and Lucy were already halfway up. Annette leaned down to grasp Susan's hand and Susan shrieked as the second wolf tore a piece of her gown with its teeth.

"Peter!" Lucy screamed as he came along with Aslan and several other warriors.

One of them, the centaur, Oreius, rushed forward, but Aslan shook his head, merely telling him, "No, let the Prince fight this battle!," and everyone watched as Peter took on the wolf.

"You should've killed me when you had the chance, boy!" taunted the wolf, circling around Peter as he held his sword to the wolf, panting heavily. "You may fight like a lion, but now you'll die like a dog!" The wolf leapt at Peter, and Annette shrieked as the wolf fell on top of him, teeth bared. _Please, don't let Peter be dead,_ Annette prayed, holding her breath as she realized neither he nor the wolf were moving.

Suddenly, the wolf's body moved, and the girls gasped, but Peter sat up slowly, his sword sticking out of the wolf's stomach. The second wolf howled loudly, and ran off. Annette noticed Aslan mutter something to Oreius but all her attention was on Peter. "Clean your sword," Aslan admonished gently, and Peter did so. "Now kneel."Again, Peter did so, and Annette, Susan, and Lucy looked on solemnly as Aslan made Peter a knight.

Susan and Lucy flew at Peter, hugging him tightly and crying. Susan held an arm out to Annette and her eyes widened at being included. Hesitant at first, she walked to join them, but soon broke into a run, and folded herself into the arms of the Pevensies. It could've been her imagination , but Susan and Lucy fell away so it was now just Annette and Peter holding each other tightly. Caught in the moment, Annette kissed Peter on the cheek, and then pulled away from him, clearly embarrassed.

She looked toward the others girls, who were nearly choking on their glee, to Peter, who was now touching the spot on his cheek where she kissed him. "Um, I've got to um…" She fled, racing into the tent she shared with the other girls, and Peter, still shocked, at first looked like he was going to follow her, but walked in the opposite direction.

Only Aslan noticed Susan mouth to Lucy, _Shouldn't be long now_, and smiled to himself, before following the Prince.


	13. Chapter 13

**_I really am sorry for not updating as fast as I should, but I've just been so busy! For the next couple of days, I will try to update as best as I can! For the moment, here's another chapter and there's a Peter/Annette scene in it!_**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The next morning, Lucy woke both Annette and Susan in excitement. "Edmund's back! Edmund's back!" She cried, and then bounded out of the tent. Merely looking at each other once, Annette and Susan quickly dressed and followed her.

Sure enough, Edmund and Aslan were on a high knoll above them, talking in low tones. "Edmund!" Lucy cried once more, and nearly tore off towards him, but Peter, also outside, stopped her. She looked up at him in confusion, but he shook his head, and Annette understood. "Lucy, I think Aslan would like to speak with Ed alone."

"Why? He hasn't done anything wrong, has he?" Lucy cried, looking from Peter to Annette.

Peter sighed, and looked once more to his younger brother. "I don't know, Luce." At that moment, Edmund looked down towards his family and Aslan followed his gaze. The majestic lion nodded his greeting, and gave Edmund a bit of a nudge. The boy, crossing his arms, began his trek towards them.

Annette studied Peter's face, and was surprised to find his blue eyes suddenly cold.

Gently, she laid a hand on his arm, and he seemed to snap out of his quick daydream. Before she could say anything to him, Lucy shouted, "Edmund!" joyously, before streaking towards her brother, all their arguments forgotten, and Annette froze, hoping the boy wouldn't do anything callous. Surprisingly, he didn't. She smiled widely as Edmund wrapped his little sister in a warm hug.

_I don't know what happened when he was with the Witch, _Annette thought as Peter left her side to call Susan from their tent, _but something definitely changed him._

"Edmund?" Susan called, racing from the tent, tears streaming down her face. She, too raced to embrace him. "Are you all right?"

Edmund nodded and brushed a tear away. "I'm sorry," he said, softly. He looked to Annette. "I'm especially sorry to you, Annette."

Annette also joined the hug. "It's alright, Edmund. Everything's okay now."

The four of them looked to Peter, who hung back. His cold look was back. "You should get some sleep, Ed." Edmund nodded, looking crestfallen at his older brother, who turned his back on him and walked away.

* * *

Annette entered the boys' tent in a huff after she left Susan, Edmund, and Lucy up on a hill to catch up and have a family moment. "I see why Edmund's at such odds with you, Peter," She mentioned. "You don't give him a chance."

Peter looked up from the map Aslan had given him, depicting the whereabouts of their troops and the Witch's. "It's none of your business," he said, icily. "You don't even like him."

Before speaking steadily, Annette took a deep breath. "Yes, I thought he was a poisonous little treacherous toad, but it's obvious that he's changed. You should be with your brother. Who knows what the Witch has put him through?"

"It would have been his own fault," Peter said, voice raised. "He's the one who chose to go with her. He'd rather choose a Witch rather than his family…over me…" He sat on his cot, and she slowly walked towards him. "I'm supposed to be protecting them and you, and I'm doing a horrible job. We've all almost been killed enough for my mum to have a heart attack, and now I'm supposed to fight a war?" Annette finally understood. Before, Peter may have been angry at his brother, but that was just normal sibling rivalry, but now, his anger multiplied accompanied with pressure.

"You won't be alone in this war, Peter," Annette said, sitting next to him. "You have Edmund, your sisters, and me. No matter what happens, we'll be here for you."

She leaned her head onto his shoulder. Annette and Peter sat just like that for about five minutes until he whispered, "Thank you, Annette."

* * *

"Narnia's not going to run out of food, Edmund," Lucy giggled, as Edmund stuffed two pieces of toast in his mouth at a time later on that morning. The three youngest of the Pevensie siblings plus Annette were having breakfast while Peter was with Aslan and Oreius, training.

Edmund laughed loudly, spraying pieces of toast all over the girls when he opened his mouth.

"Ew!" Annette squealed, and pushed her plate towards him. "Have mine. I just lost my appetite."

"I'm sorry," he grinned, "I'm just hungry."

"Then we'll ask them to pack us up some food when we leave?" Susan suggested, beginning to clean up.

"Why are we leaving?" Lucy asked shrilly.

"Well, Edmund's back, so we don't have much to stay for…"

"Su, we can't just abandon everyone. They're counting on us. We promised…" Annette trailed off, as Peter strolled over to them, his sword at his side. As she gazed at him, all the fairy tale stories of dashing knights came flooding back to Annette and she blushed.

"Nette's right. We can't leave," Peter said softly. "We have to do whatever we can to help these people."

Susan asked, loudly. "And how are we supposed to do that?We can't stay here! We left Finchley to avoid a war, Peter, not so we could join one!"

"But they need us!"

"They'll do fine without us as long as they've got Aslan! There's nothing we can do!"

"Yes, there is," piped up Edmund, softly at first, "The Witch is wicked. She's destroyed these people and hurt them…and I've helped." He looked at Susan, long and hard. "I'm not letting them suffer for what I've done."

Peter looked at his brother, impressed, his cold façade cracking just a bit, and Annette nodded. "We're in this together, Susan," she said, slowly, no matter how much she was afraid herself.

Susan sighed. Putting her trash on the table, she knelt to retrieve the bow and arrow Father Christmas had given her. "C'mon, Annette, Lucy. If we're going to fight in a war, we're going to need lots of target practice." Lucy immediately hugged her sister, and Annette grabbed her own bow and arrow. Yes, she would need a LOT of target practice.


End file.
